Apparatus for and method of separating mixed materials



' W. L. REMICK APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF SEPARATING MIXED MATERIALS July 4, 1944.

Filed Jan: 13, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l J y 1944. w. L. REMICK 2,352,972

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF SEPARATING MIXED MATERIALS Filed Jan. 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 4, 1944 APPARATUS-FOB, AND METHOD OF SEPA- RATINGlVIIXED MATERIALS Walter'L. Remick, Hazleton, Pa.

Application January 13, 1941, Serial. No. 374,292

16 Claims. ,(Cl. 209-158) My invent-ion consists in a new=and useful iin' provement inapparatus for and 'method of "separating mixed materials, andisdesigned'for 561% arating'materials of "different sizes and difierentspecific gravities, and is designed more'particu I" larly for the recovery of ores. My improved process comprises the segregation of overflow and underflow products 'by hydraulic separation. The particularly novel and useful features of my im= proved process are the vertical zoning of-the fluid masses, and the treatment of the middling product thereby produced,"whereby complete separation is effected.

While I have illustrated in the drawings'filed herewith and have hereinafter fully described one specific embodiment of my improved a paratus by which my improved processcan be practiced, it is to be distinctly understood that I do not consider my invention,- as to my method andmy apparatus, tob'e limited thereby, but re for for its scope to the claims appended'hereto.

In the drawings: I Fig. 1 is a vertical'sectionofmyimprovedapparatus.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionon the'line 2'2'of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-'-3 "of ig 1. .L I

Fig. 4*is a vertical section onthe line t-tot Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is "a vertical section of a modified form of 'tankior myapparatus. k Q

As illustrated in the drawings; my improved apparatus has the circular tankTwitli overflow launder I, the annular downwardly sloping'bottom 2, and'th'e central inverted trusts-conical bottom 3 with the centrally disposed discharge conduit 4. uitably mounted on the beams 5 over the tank T is the rotatable easing 6 having its open end 1 extended into the tank T. Suitably mounted in the casing 6 is the discharge piped in which'is -journaled'the shaft 9 carrying the impeller It. The shaft 9' passes through a journal inthe casing 6, extends'above the beams 5, and carries a pulley ll driven by belt l2 about pulley l3 on the shaft of the motor Msuitably mounted on the beams "5'. The dischargepipe'a has, at'its lower end, a distributor head it to which are attached the radial pipes l5 havingthe downwardly extended tangential-nozzles -|6 -disposed adjacent the bottom 2 of the -tankT.- A shaft l1 extends downwardly from the head 14,

' carrying the distributor head"l8 di sposedbelow .wer edge of the bottom- Land "having a the series of downwardiy xtended pipes 19, each provided with a pipe!!! disposed parallel to the bottom3. Eachpipetll isprovided with a series of nozzles 2| dlsposedat right angles'to-the bottom 3.- A supplypipe 2'2, with valve 23, passes through conduit! into tank I and communicates withhead I8.

To introduce'the mixed materials into the tank T, I providea feed'chute Cdischarging intoa feed spout C-l suitably mountedon the beams 5 and extendeddownwardly into the tank T, its lower end 24 being in the horizontal plane of the opening 1 of casing 6. To receive the feed discharged;from the spout C--l, I provide an annular downwardly sloping deflector Dlmounted uponthe rotatable radial pipes I5 by brackets 25-an 1 bracedby' struts -26'fr'om thepip'e 8, and so disposedas to pass underthe lower end 24 of spout .(J-l. It is-to be noted (Fig.l) that the diameter of the-inneredge D- -l of the de; fleotor- D is somewhat less than the diameter of the inner edge 2'a of thebottom -2.

. 'The tank 'T- is provided rwith'adischarge pipe 21, located inthe'side of the tank T ata pointslightly .below the horizontal plane oft-he opening I of the-casing --6. ThispipeZ'lhas valve .28.and discharges onscreenZS below which issump 30 conneotedby pipe 31' topump P, the discharge end of which is connectedwith pipe .32 which discharges into spout The dischargezc'onduit't communicates with 'the'lower end of casing-33 of the endlessbelt conveyor 34 driven by any suitable means. ..I provide a reservoir .35 communicating with the casing 33, which is disposed :ithefloat t-Eiuco'nnected by red H -with lever 38 pivoted at 39 .on reservoir 35 and having the slot=and-pin (romeotion-MJ with crank 4| operating valve 42 on a water supply pipe 43' for supplyingwaterto the reservoir '35.

In Fig. 5, there isillustrated a modified form of tank 1 -4 forus'e in my improved apparatus. In this i mm 1 there is interposed between the bottom 2 and the bottom 3" an intermediate tubular portionlt 7 Having described the details of construeti'on'of my "iIIIprOVE-d apparatus 1" will now'describe its use and operation the practice of hey im proved method. The tank 'l and casing 33 are suitably supplied-with water by pipe 22. The impeller EL-in the casirlglL-besirig actuated by the motor M, induces a flowof water from tank T intothe open end 1 of theca sing 6, and therefrom through pipe-=8, tohead M and' pipe'sfi and out through nozzles lt back into tank T. Asis well known; the emission .of the water from these nozzles I6 causes rotation of the head l4, thereby causing rotation therewith of head l8 and its nozzles 2|. The rotation of head l4 and its pipes i5 causes rotation of deflector D passing below the open end 24 of the spout Cl. The mixed materials are delivered by the chute C to the spout C-l and passing tlierethrough are received on the rotating deflector D. By the proper adjustment of the valve 23 on the pipe 22, a regulated current 'of clearwater is supplied through pipe 22, head l8, pipes 19 and pipes 23 and nozzles 2i. This current of clear water passes directly upwardly in a centrally disposed column passing through the bottom I and the circular lower edge Dl of the deflector D. By reason of the inclination of the surface of the deflector D, the mixed materials fed thereon tend to move downwardly and inwardly encountering this upwardly moving column of clear water. The very light and fine particle of the mixed materials are carried upwardly and outwardly over the deflector, D to the overflow launder l of the tank T. The heavy and coarse particles of the mixed materials pass downwardly through this column of clear water to the discharge conduit 4 and thence to the conveyor 34 by which they are discharged from the apparatus. The circulation of water through the tank T by the impeller creates an-upwardly flowing current, causing the light and coarse particles and the heavy and fine particles to move toward the circumference of the tank T, under the deflector D and upwardly. These light and coarse particles and heavy and fine particles, as a middling product, are discharged from the tank T through the pipe 21, onto the screen 29. The light and coarse particles are discharged over screen 29 to waste, and the heavy and fine particles, passing through screen 29, sump 30 and pipe 3!, are returned by the pump P through the pipe 32 to the feed passing into the tank T through the spout C -l. From the foregoing, the purpose of producing the middling product will be obvious. The middling product is composed of light and coarse particles and heavy and fine particles. The laws of settling determine this. Being coarse and line, they may be separated by screening, as above described. If the fine particles are continually returned to the feed, eventually all the light and fine material will pass out of. thetank T into the overflow launder l, and all the heavy and fine material will pass out: of the tank T through the discharge conduit 4.

Since the pipe 21, for the discharge of the middling product, is below the open end I of the casing 6 in .whichthe impeller I0 operates, this middling product is produced by the combined effect of the upwardly flowing current of the liquid circulated by the impeller I0, the upwardly flowing current of clear water supplied by the pipe 22, and any additional water supplied to the tank T, with the feed through the spout CI, and by the pipe 43 through reservoir 35, casing 33 and conduit 4. The overflow product into launder I is produced by only the water added with the feed and from the pipes 22 and 43. In the operation of my improved apparatus, in the practice of my improved method, I have had the following actual conditions: The impeller l0 circulated 500 gallons of liquid per minute through the tank T. Water was added with the feed through spout C--I, at 75 gallons per minute. Water was introduced into tank T, through pipe 22, at 140 gallons per minute, and through ipe 43, at 100 gallons per minute. Under these conditions, the overflow product was subject to the effect of 315 gallons per minute, being the total of flow through spout C-l, and pipes 22 and 43, while the middling product was subject to the effect of 815 gallons per minute, being the total of the aforesaid 315 gallons per minute and the 500 gallons per minute of the impeller I0. Under the conditions of operation, this flow of 315 gallon per minute caused a current having a velocity of 1.5 feet per minute to produce the overflow product, and this flow of 815 gallons per minute caused a current having a velocity of 4 feet per minute to produce the middling product. Variations in the density of the fluid circu lated in tank T, caused by fluctuations in the quantity and quality of the mixed materials being fed into tank T, result in variations of the flow of the current through conduit 4. If, due to an increase in the quantity of the underflow product in the feed, the density of the fluid is increased, the water level in the reservoir 35 is caused to rise, raising float 36 and thereby reducing the volume of water supplied to the apparatus from pipe 43. This results in a decrease in the velocity of the upwardly flowing current through pipe 4 into tank T, permitting faster discharge of the underflow product. If, however, due to a decrease in the quantity of the underflow product in the feed, the density of the fluid is decreased, the water level in the reservoir 35 falls, lowering the float 36 and thereby causing an increase in the volume of water supplied to the apparatus from pipe 43. This results in an increase in the velocity of the'upwardly flowing current through pipe 4 into tank T, causin a retarding of the discharge of the underflow product from the tank T. It is obvious that this automatic control of the upwardly flowing current through pipe 4 produces the desired hydraulic separation in pipe 4, the current being increased when the overflow product increases with the decrease of the underflow product, and the current being decreased when theoverflow product decreases with the increase of the underflow product. This operation of my apparatus secures the fully automatic control of the density of the fluid in the tank T, thereby producing under all operating conditions that desired degree of specific gravity of the fluid, so that it shall accu rately and efiiciently produce the desired separation of the overflow and underflowproducts.

It is obvious that the introduction of clear we. ter -into tank T through pipe22, head [8, pipes l9 and 20 and nozzles 2|, causing the upwardly. flowingcolumn of water above the bottom 3,,0f

' the tank T, and the confining of the current pro;

duced by the impeller l0 through the head I4, pipes l5 and nozzles Hi, to the outer portion of the tank T, above the bottom 2, produ'cethedesired vertical zoning in the tank T. j 3 It has been demonstrated by actual use of my, improved apparatus that the light and fine parti cles can be entirely excluded from the underflow product of the method. This desired. result is produced by the use of the vertical zoning'above described, whichis the result of the'operation of the deflector D and the ,construction whereby the column of clear water is caused to flow upwardlythroughthe deflector D.

Having described my invention, what I claim is; 1. In an apparatus for separating mixed materials, the combination of atank; means adapted to circulate liquid within said tank, having an inlet-disposed in the upper portion of said tank anda series of outletsdisposed in'the lower pore.

tion of said tank; audischargepipe opening from said: tank at a point intermediate thetsaid .inlet and outlets; aspout to feed the mixed materials to said tank; and a rotatable invertedifrustoconical deflector plate so disposed in said tank as to receive thereon the 'feed from said spout.

2. In an apparatus for separating mixed materials, the combination of a tank having an annular inverted frusto-conical bottom, and a centrally disposed inverted conical bottom; a re-V tatable head disposed in said tank concentric with said bottoms; .a series of pipes mounted radially on said head and having nozzlesdisposed adjacent said annular bottom; means adapted to supply liquid to said pipes to be ejected from said nozzles; an inverted frusto-conical feed deflector platemounted upon said series of pipes; and'a feed spout so disposed in said tank as to supply the mixed materials to said plate.

3. In an apparatus for separating mixed materials, the combination of a tank having an annular inverted frusto-conical bottom, and a centrally disposed inverted conical bottom; a rotatable head disposed in said tank concentric with said bottoms; a series of pipes mounted radially on said head and having nozzles disposed adjacent said annular bottom; means adapted to supply liquid to said pipes to be ejected from said nozzles; a second-rotatable head disposed in said tank concentric with said first head; a second series of pipes mounted radially on said second head and having nozzles disposed adjacent said centrally disposed bottom; means adapted to supply liquid to said second series of pipes to be ejected from their nozzles; an inverted frustoconical feed deflector plate mounted on said first series of pipes; and a feed spout so disposed in said tank as to supply the mixed materials to said-plate.

4. In an apparatus for separating mixed materials, the combination of a tank; means adapted to circulate liquid within said'tank, having, an inlet disposed in the upper portion of said tank and a se-ries of. outlets disposed in the lower portion of said tank; a, discharge pipe opening from said tank at -a pointintermediate'the said inlet and outlets; a screen adjacent said.tank,'th e discharge end of said pipe being disposedabove saidscreen; a sump below said screen; a pump having its inlet communicating with said sump; a spout to feed the mixed materials to said tank; a pipe connecting the outlet of said pump with said spout; and a rotatable inverted frustoconical deflector plate so disposed in said tank as to receive thereon the feed from said spout.

5. In an apparatus for separating mixed materials, the combination of a tank; a spout to feed the mixed materials to said tank; a rotatable inverted frusto-conical deflector plate, having a central discharge opening, and so disposed in said tank as to receive therein the feed from said spout; a series of nozzles disposed in the bottom of said tank; and a pipe entering said tank and connected with said nozzles, adapted to supply a current of water through said nozzles to flow upwardly through said discharge opening of said plate.

6. In an apparatus for separating mixed materials, the combination of a tank; means adapted to circulate liquid within said tank, having an inlet disposed in the upper portion of said tank and a series of outlets disposed in the lower portion of said tank; a discharge pipe opening from said tank at a pointintermediate the said inlet and outlets; a screen adjacent said tank, the discharge'.;end to'f saidupipe being .disposedfabove saidscreema 'sumpgbelow. said screen; a pump tank as to receive-thereon the feedfrom .said

spout; azseries of nozzles disposed in the bottom of:..said:tank; and a pipe, entering saiditank and connected with said nozzles, adapted to supply'a current of water through said nozzles to flow upwardly through. saidsplate. V a

7. Inan apparatus forseparating'mixedmaterials, the combination of .a tank; means adapted to circulate liquid within said tank, having an inlet disposedin the'upper portion of said:tank, and aiseriesof outlets disposedinthe lower portionof said tank; a discharge .pipe opening from said tank at a point intermediate the said inlet and the said outlets; means to ieedthe mixed materials into said tank; and 'a rotatable 'inverted frusto-conicalideflector plate mounted on said circulating meansintermediate thesaid inlet andthe said outlets, and-sodisposed in said tank as toreceive the feed thereon;

8. In an apparatus for separating mixed -materials, the combinationof a tank; means to feed the mixed materia'ls'into said tank; .a'rotatable inverted frusto-conical deflector plate having a central discharge opening, so disposed in v said tank as to receive the feed thereon; and means adapted to supply acurrent of water to flowtup wardly through .said discharge opening.

9. In an apparatus-for separating mixed materials, the combination of a tank; a rotatable head disposed in'said tank; .a series'of'pipes radially mountedon said headandhaving-nozzles disposed adjacent the bottom of. the tank; means adapted to supply liquid to said pipes to be ejected from said nozzles; a rotatable inverted frusto-conical deflector plate mounted on .said

pipes; and means adapted'tofeed themixed materials to said plate.

10. In an apparatus for separating mixed ma.- terials, the combination of a tank, having its bottom divided into a circular central "portion. and an outer annular portion; a series of nozzles rotatably mounted and disposed adjacent :said annular portion; a second series of nozzles rotatably mounted and disposed adjacent said central portion; means adapted to supply liquid to be ejected from said nozzles; a rotatable inverted frusto-conical deflector plate disposed above said annular portion and having a central discharge opening concentric with and of the same diameter as the central bottom portion; and means to feed the mixed materials to said plate.

11. The method of separating mixed materials which comprises producing two upwardly flowing concentric currents of liquid of difit'erent velocities, the current of less velocity being centrally disposed, and the current of greater velocity surrounding the current of less velocity, feeding the mixed materials into the upper portion of the centrally disposed current, discharging the overflow product with the overflow of the current of less velocity, discharging the underflow product from the lower end of the current into which it is fed, causing the middling product to pass from the current of less velocity to the current of greater velocity, discharging the middling product, sizing the middling product by screening, discharging the particles on the screen to waste, and returning the residue particles to the feed.

: 12....The methodzof :separatingr mixed, materials which comprises producing ttwo upwardly. flowing concentric currents of. Iiquidcidifierent velocities, thev current of less velocity being :centrally disposed, andthe .currentof greater velocity sur-, rounding the current of, less velocity feeding the mixedimaterials into therupper portion of the centrally disposed current, discharging the overflow, product with the overflow of the current of less velocity, discharging thev underflow, product from the lower end of the current intovwhich it is fed, causing the middling product to pass from the current of less velocity tothe current of greater velocity, discharging the middling product, sizing the middling product by screening, discharging .the particles on the screen to waste; returning the residue particles to the feed, supplementing the current of less velocity with a variable current supplied thereto, and controlling said'variable current by the discharge of the underflow product.

13. The method of separating mixed materials which comprises circulating a constant quantity of liquid within a container so as to produce an upwardly flowing current of liquid spaced radially from the Vertical axis of the container, creating an upwardly flowing current of liquid so introduced into said container at a constant rate of flow as to be disposed within said first mentioned current, feeding the mixedmaterials into the upwardly flowing current having the constant rate of flow, discharging the overflow product-with the liquid discharged from the container, discharging the underflow product from the bottom of the container, causing the middling product to pass from the inner current to the outer current, discharging the middling product from the outer current, sizing the middling product by screening, discharging the particles on the screen to waste, and returning the residue particles to the feed;

'14. The method of separating mixed materials which comprises circulating a constant quantity of liquid within a container so as to produce an upwardly flowing current of liquid spaced radially from the vertical axis of the container, creating an upwardly flowing current of liquid so introduced into said container at a constant rate of flow as to be disposed'within said first menstantrate of flow, discharging theoverflowproduct-with the. liquid discharged from the container, discharging the underflow product from .the bottom of the container, causing the middling product to pass from. theinner current to the outer current, discharging the middling product from the outer current, sizing the middling product by screening discharging the particles on the screen to waste, returning the residue particles to the feed,introducing into and discharging from the container .2. current of liquid of varying rate of flow, and automatically controlling the rate of flow of said variable current by the discharge of the underflow product.

15. The method of separating mixed materials which comprises producing two upwardly flowing concentric currents of liquid of different velocities, the current of less velocity being centrally disposed, and the current of greater velocity surrounding the current of less velocity, feeding the mixed materials into the upper portion of the centrally disposed current, discharging the overflowproduct with the overflow of the current of less'velocity, discharging the underflow product from the lower end of the current into which it is fed, causing the middling product to pass from the current of less velocityto the current of greater velocity, discharging the middling product from the current of greater velocity.

16. The method of separating mixed materials which comprises circulating a constant quantity of liquid within a container so as to produce an upwardly flowing current of liquid spaced radially from the vertical axis of the containen creating an upwardly flowing current of liquid so introduced into said container at a constant rate of flow as to be disposed within said first mentioned current, feeding the mixed materials into the upwardly flowing current having the constant rate of flow, discharging the overflow product with the liquid discharged from the container, discharging the underflow product from the bottomof the container, causing the middling product to pass from the inner current to the outer current, discharging the middling product from the outercurrent.

WALTER L; REMICK. 

